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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — to drill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — final
  14. cell — a phone
  15. perch — the fish
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — in music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. craft — a skill
  20. last — finally
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — in biology
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com